International Atomic Energy Agency introduces 3 safety guides to protect from radiation

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has organized an event introducing three recently published safety guides – Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment (No. GSG-8), Regulatory Control of Radioactive Discharges to the Environment (No. GSG-9) and Prospective Radiological Environmental Impact Assessment for Facilities and Activities (No. GSG-10).

Facilities ranging from nuclear installations to those using radioisotopes in industry, medicine and research often release small amounts of radioactive discharges to the atmosphere during their normal course of operation. Such releases from any new, modified and operating facilities need to be assessed, controlled and authorized. While protecting people from harmful effects of ionizing radiation remains the prime goal of radiation protection, the environment also needs to be protected.

These guides support the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standard publication entitled Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards (No. GSR Part 3), the key publication on radiation safety setting standards for achieving high levels of radiation safety.

"The IAEA, in cooperation with Member State experts, has created these guides to help Member States to ensure that any releases are strictly controlled to protect the environment and the public," the Head of the IAEA's Radiation Safety and Monitoring Section, Miroslav Pinak opined in his opening remarks at the event attended by approximately 40 participants.

The three publications provide guidance to regulatory bodies in their work to:

1. Conduct environmental impact assessments, which determine whether planned facilities or activities comply with current legislative and regulatory requirements on the protection of the public and the environment
2. Control and authorize discharges
3. Create a framework for protection of the public and the environment.

"Standards are only effective if they are properly applied in practice, and the Safety Guides show how to do so," continued Johnston. During the side event, IAEA staff and Member States also discussed possible ways of implementing the new guidance.

In April this year, the IAEA also organized a workshop on the three Safety Guides to get a better understanding on the challenges that Member States confront in the process of implementation